Greetings, Y'all,

I know I have been doing a lot of talking about paddling to Hudson Bay for a few years now and it seemed as if something always got in the way of getting there. If it wasn't busting my kayak over a major rapid (2003), then it was bad weather (2005), divorce (2005) then it was a time and money consuming trip to visit Malcolm S. in his own territory, St Thomas (2010). That trip used up all of my holidays so I announced earlier that I couldn't afford to paddle to Hudson Bay this year: I put it off till next summer. I just got an offer which cannot be refused. Linda, the love of my life, has offered to make available the $$$ I need to get the trip done this summer (sugar momma?). She says she has an interest in seeing me get this trip off my chest. First, I talk about it too much. Second, she worries about me kayaking in the Canadian wilderness alone and wants to finally end that worry death by polar bear). Third, she accuses me of talking too much about the book I am writing and how I can't finish it until I get to Hudson Bay. Fourth...well, I am not sure there is a fourth but if there is, I will think of it sooner or later. Soooooooo, as soon as I get the ok from work to bugger off into the Canadian wilds for one month, roughly from June 21 - July 21, I will repair the VJ (new brass on the stern keel), inventory my gear, purchase what I need and prep for the drive to Winnipeg, where I will get set for the paddle of a life time.

I have waited patiently for 7 years to get to this leg of the journey, been through a lot and fully expect to go through even more before I get to Churchill, Manitoba, located on the shores of Hudson Bay. There are a few unknowns I have to face and I look forward to meeting them head on, unless, of course, I have to meet them in a vertical position while seated in the VJ...then I will back off early enough to walk. I will have only 150-miles of bay shoreline to follow before I get to Churchill, but that shoreline has between 2-5 kms of tidal flats dotted with polar bears, seals, beluga whales and lord knows whatelse. I will get Linda to post messages as she receives them so that y'all know where I am at different times: assuming I have cell contact with the rest of civilization. If I don't have cell phone access during the trip, I will ask Ken S. to watch out for my smoke signals so that he can translate them into something you can understand. If you never hear from me again...I'll make sure someone can find my voice recorder so that y'all know what happened. That said, I will have thousands of pics to choose from for posting when I get back and one hell of a write-up. Be rest assured that, as I did in 2004 when I abandoned the trip due to incredibly crappy weather, I will not hesitate to abandon this trip if I have to for good reason...if I have to abandon, I want to return next year to try again.

Robert N Pruden